Recently, with standardization of communication protocols and the like, and lower prices and the like of communication devices, personal computers having a communication I/F (Interface) as standard have become common.
In addition to the personal computers, broadcast apparatus for business use such for example as AV (Audio Visual) servers and VTRs (Video Tape Recorders) which apparatus have a communication I/F as standard or are capable of being provided with a communication I/F have become common. Such broadcast apparatus exchange files of video data and audio data (both will hereinafter be referred to collectively as AV data as appropriate) with each other.
Conventionally, as a format of a file to be exchanged between broadcast apparatus, each type of apparatus or each manufacturer, for example, generally uses an original format. It is therefore difficult to exchange files between broadcast apparatus of different apparatus types or manufacturers.
Accordingly, as a format for file exchange, MXF (Material exchange Format), for example, is proposed and is now being standardized.
MXF is a format in which not only file exchange but also streaming is taken into consideration, and in which video data and audio data are multiplexed in small units such as frames or the like.
As described above, in MXF, video data and audio data are multiplexed in each frame unit in consideration of streaming. It is therefore difficult to capture an MXF file in a storage in a broadcast apparatus and edit video data and audio data separately from each other (AV independent editing).
There is accordingly a method of capturing an MXF file in a broadcast apparatus and thereafter converting the MXF file into a file in an original format. However, when the MXF file is converted into the file in the original format totally different from MXF and the file in the original format is recorded in a storage in the broadcast apparatus, it is difficult for another broadcast apparatus to handle the file.
Specifically, for example, even when a file in an original format recorded in a storage of a certain broadcast apparatus is accessed by another broadcast apparatus via a communication I/F such for example as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 or USB (Universal Serial Bus), in a case where the other broadcast apparatus cannot understand the original format, the other broadcast apparatus cannot handle (for example read, in this case) the file in the original format.
Also, in a case where the storage in which the file in the original format is recorded in the certain broadcast apparatus is a removable recording medium such for example as an optical disk, even when the removable recording medium is loaded into the other broadcast apparatus, the other broadcast apparatus cannot handle the file in the original format if the other broadcast apparatus cannot understand the original format.
In addition, depending on a procedure for writing the file to the recording medium, there occurs a case where one data writing process needs to be performed twice, for example, and thus an unnecessary writing process can occur.